Adventure is Out There
by theatrefreak10
Summary: Lacey Hart was just an ordinary twenty-seven year old, except she wasn't. A highly trained markswoman and extremely skilled in all things martial arts, Lacey is one for adventures. Follow her journey as she joins our favorite NCIS team and finds out things about her life no one would have guessed. (Genre is Crime/Adventure, but there will also be a touch of romance.)
1. Prologue

Prologue:

Adventure always followed her wherever she went. She would turn a corner and there it was, calling to her, coaxing her into going with it. With adventure comes danger and although some of the danger is life threatening, she somehow ends up following.

Lacey Hart, was no doubt beautiful, not just because of her looks, but because of the curious twinkle in her eye and the sparkle in her grin. Yet, she lived dangerously. Lacey had trained with the world's top gunman and martial arts teacher, Nagasaki. The men that knew her well feared her.

Her dream was to work as an NCIS special agent. When she was just out of high school, Lacey had planned on going into the Navy, but her father forbade it. He said a woman's place was not in the military. Women were to be teachers, cooks, mothers! There was no place for them in the Navy.

Lacey's heart broke, and against her father's wishes, she sought out Nagasaki. They said the only way to train with him was for you to find him. That's what she did, it took her a few days, but Lacey was determined. Nothing, not even the Great Wall of China, could hold her back.

After three intense years of training, Lacey got an email from her father saying that her mother was ill. Lacey was devastated, she took the quickest flight home to Washington D.C. Two weeks, four days, five hours, forty-seven minutes, and thirty-six seconds later, her mother passed away.

She felt as though she had no one anymore. Her fiancé had died in Afghanistan, she barely spoke to her brothers, her father wouldn't give her the time of day, and when her mother died the loneliness began to set in. Lacey thought her adventures were over, but they were only about to begin.

* * *

 **Hello, new and maybe returning readers! I hope you enjoyed this little teaser of my new story! I have had this story sitting on my laptop for a few years and I finally feel like I am ready to post it! I am in the process of reworking the chapters, but I hope to be able to post chapter one soon! You're probably wondering where the NCIS characters fit into this... Have no fear, they will be joining the story very soon! I love constructive criticism and positive feedback, so feel free to leave a review (hearing from you all is what makes me keep writing). If you're new to my stories and you love all things Hawaii Five-O or The Flash, definitely go check out my other** **drabbles! Thank you for your support and hopefully your reviews!**

 **Until next time,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	2. Chapter 1

Adventure is Out There

Chapter 1

"Come on! Let's go." I mumbled as I tried to make it through the terrible D.C. traffic, "Ugh! I have a meeting with the director of NCIS in less than ten minutes! Can we not speed things up?" My hands pounded against my steering wheel.

Horns honked and the angry faces of people flashed by. I shook my head in frustration. This was it, I thought. I was finally going to be a NCIS special agent. I could hardly wait. Most twenty-seven year olds never get in, but with my background and my dad being a highly decorated Naval Commander, there was nothing standing in my way.

I cringed at the thought of my father and released an angered sigh. Finally, I made it out of the traffic and headed for the NCIS building. I pulled into the parking lot and grabbed my portfolio. I took a deep breath and stepped out of my Mini Cooper.

I got my security badge from the front desk, and then headed up to the fourth floor in the elevator. The doors opened and I stepped off. Passing by rows of desks, I made note of the people and their faces. I quickly climbed the steps and smiled at the secretary.

"He's expecting you, Ms. Hart." The secretary nodded.

I, with all the confidence that I could muster up, opened the door. I was surprised to see that there was another person waiting with the director. "I'm sorry, am I interrupting? Your secretary told me you were ready for me."

"Oh no! This is the head of the NCIS agents, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He'll be your boss, so I thought it'd be good for you to meet him." Director Vance said.

I took Gibbs's hand. He was a strong man, slim figure, graying hair, and smart blue eyes. "Ms. Hart, I served with your father for a very long time. I'm quite surprised that you are doing this. I know that he never wanted his daughter in the military."

"Thank you, Agent Gibbs, but my father and I never saw eye to eye and this was my decision." They all sat down.

"Charlie always was a hard head." Gibbs nodded, "and It's just Gibbs. Vance, I think she'll be fine. She's got enough wits and brains for it, and she'll be able to deal with DiNozzo and McGee."

"Will you start today? Normally, we would enforce mandatory training, but your recommendation was very satisfying." Vance asked.

"If you would like me too." I answered.

"Welcome to the team!" Vance shook my hand, "Here's your badge, everything you need will be at your desk, and you will get your assigned handgun in a little bit. Do you need a holster?"

"No, sir. I have one with me." I replied.

"Vance, I should go introduce her to the team. Abby will need some time and Ducky." Gibbs said, leading me to the door.

It closed behind them and I raised an eyebrow, "Ducky?"

"Ducky is our medical examiner and Abby is our forensic scientist."

"Boss, we got a new lead on the case." A tall man with sandy blonde hair and gentle features nodded towards the Screen.

Gibbs looked and said, "McGee, this is Lacey Hart our new special agent. Lacey, this is Timothy McGee. Fill her in on the case. Where's DiNozzo?"

"Yes, boss. He... uh... well..." McGee stuttered.

"I'm right here, Boss!" The supposed DiNozzo called, coming in from the elevator. "I was talking with Abby and she said..."

"What did Abby say?" Gibbs questioned, "DiNozzo!"

"Oh! Yes, Abby. She said she wanted to tell you herself." He quickly replied, still focusing on me.

"DiNozzo, you have wandering eyes." Gibbs said, slapping the back of DiNozzo' head.

"Right, boss!" DiNozzo went to his desk.

"Oh, yeah. Your desk is right here, Agent Hart." McGee quickly walked over to the desk across from DiNozzo.

"It's Lacey. I prefer not to be called by my last name." I forced a smile.

"Okay, since we're on a first name basis you can call me Tim. Here's the case we've been working on." Tim handed me a case file.

"Thanks. I'll start it right away." I nodded and looked around at my blank cubicle. Tomorrow I would bring in more pictures, but for now, I hung up an old photo of my fiancé and I.

"I have to say, I'm surprised you joined our team. I would have thought that your dad wouldn't allow it." He said quietly.

I looked up from the file, "You know my father?"

"Yeah, we've worked a few cases with him." Tim stated.

"He doesn't know, about me taking this job, I mean. Either way it was my decision and he's always had a problem with those so it doesn't really affect me anymore." With that being said Tim walked back to his own desk.

I flipped through the file, but I got the feeling that someone was looking over my shoulder. I turned to see if my instincts were right and came face to face with a beautiful gothic woman. "Um, Hello."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare at you, Gibbs told me you were here and I got so excited that I just had to see you in person. Like you're so amazing and you're my role model. Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable. Wow, you're gorgeous." If there were a competition for speed talking, this girl would win.

"Am I missing something?" DiNozzo chimed in.

"Tony! This is Lacey Hart. You know Commander Hart's daughter and the first girl to ever train with and find Nagasaki. She's like the coolest, most prettiest trained killer ever!" The gothic girl spoke.

"I'm not a killer." I bit my lip, "I don't just kill people for sport. I was a contract hit-woman for the government."

"Okay, so she's like the most prettiest trained defense mechanism there is and ever was. By the way, I'm Abby." She held out her hand.

I took it and said, "Hi, Abby. I think you are the first person in a long time to ever compliment me. I appreciate all your kind words, but I'm just another girl. I'm actually really surprised you know who I am, my identity is a closely guarded secret."

"Our Abby has her ways of finding out secret identities." Tony grinned.

"And besides you're much more than just another girl! Well, come down to forensics soon if you want to chat!" Abby left as fast as she had come.

DiNozzo had his sights back on me, "So you're the infamous Lacey Hart?"

"I guess so." I shrugged, going back to the case file. DiNozzo shook his head and gave me a smirk. I ignored him and focused on what I had in front of me.

The case file was simple. A Lieutenant Commander Greg Jefferson had been stabbed to death and found in the park early yesterday morning. I scanned the crime scene photos looking for anything that might lead to our killer.

I paused on the one showing the lieutenant's body. Something didn't sit well with me. "Hey, Tim, could you pull up the crime scene photos?" My eyebrows furrowed as I kept staring at this shot in particular.

"Sure, which one?" Tim questioned.

"The shot of the Lieutenant Commander's upper torso." By now I had peaked the interest of Tony. He got up from his desk and walked over to the plasma. The picture popped onto the screen and I scrutinized it more. "Hm... Zoom in on his left hand?"

"What are you looking for?" Tony asked.

I bit my lip, "Does the Lieutenant have a wife?"

"Noooooo." Tim said, dragging out the word in suspicion.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's an indentation on his left ring finger. Certainly he's married." I raised a hand to my mouth and scrutinized the picture longer.

"You're right. Duck just confirmed it." Gibbs stated from behind us all, "Lacey, find out who the wife is and why we didn't see her as next of kin in the first place. McGee, Abby could use a hand on the DNA sample found under the Lieutenant's finger nails. DiNozzo, you're with me."

Everyone dispersed and I was left standing in the middle of the squad room. I had never been one to sit down and locate someone on a computer. I was always just given information to carry out my orders. Certainly, I had hacked into government databases before, but that's was a long time ago. Things were different for me. I was different.

I shrugged off my looming sadness and jumped into the work. As it turned out, tracking down a classified marriage certificate wasn't that hard. The Lieutenant and his wife met on a mission. Apparently they fell in love and wanted to marry, they both were high targets and so their marriage had to be kept under wraps. I printed out the certificate and the file on the classified marriage. Hopefully, Gibbs wouldn't ask how I had located the documents.

I closed the printed papers into the dead Lieutenant's file and ventured down to autopsy. I waited silently in the elevator until the doors opened into an empty space. I walked out of the elevator and found a set of sliding automatic doors. They opened upon my movement and I was met by two curious stares.

"Oh my! You must be our new agent! Come in, please!" Said a dapper looking older man, "I am Dr. Donald Mallard, but everyone calls me Ducky."

"Hi," I smiled, "Lacey Hart." I took his hand and shook it.

A squeak came out of the younger man and I turned his way. "Ah, yes, this would be James Palmer. He assists me in autopsies. He's rather speechless at the moment, I'm afraid." Ducky smiled and leaned in close, "I think he finds you quite beautiful and refreshing from the other three who usually visit us down here." With a wink, he turned back to his workstation.

I couldn't suppress a laugh any longer, "It's nice to meet the both of you! I was wondering if I could look at the autopsy report for our dead Lieutenant Commander? It wasn't in my file."

"Of course! I was just finishing up with it!" Ducky handed me his report and I skimmed over the details.

"Fifteen stab wounds? Do you think this could be a crime of passion?" I raised an eyebrow as I looked at the significant murder method.

The room became quiet as we all thought about this. Ducky cleared his throat and said, "I do think it could be. The stabs on the chest are very quick and not concise at all. I suppose it could have been done in the heat of the moment."

I looked up, "Yes, but what moment?"

"That remains the mystery, my dear girl." I left autopsy a little while after that and while in the elevator my phone rang. I pulled it out and answered it.

"Agent Hart." I stated.

"Did you find the wife?" Gibbs voice questioned.

My eyes widened, "Ah yes, are you all back?"

"We have been, for over thirty minutes."

"I will be right up, what I found I need to tell you in person." I said.

Gibbs seemed slightly irritated, "Clocks ticking, Hart." With that he ended the call.

I wanted to kick myself. My first day at NCIS and I was already making my boss mad. I breathed deeply and waited for the doors to open on my floor. It was silent except for the hum of the elevator and finally the doors slid open. I hurried off and found an expectant team waiting for me.

"What do you have, Hart?" Gibbs demanded.

"Right, boss, McGee could you pull up those files I sent you?" The screen illuminated with the copied classified files. "Lieutenant Commander Greg Jefferson was married to a highly decorated Army medic, Grace Alexander. They met on a mission a few years ago, but because of them being high targets on terrorist hit lists, their marriage was kept under wraps. All marriage documents were classified. Grace Alexander is currently on leave and staying at their home in Virginia."

"McGee, come on. We're going to take a trip to Virginia." He stated, heading to his desk to grab his keys.

"Wait, Gibbs, there's something else." I stated. He turned, giving me his full attention, "I went down to see Ducky. That's actually where I was coming from. I was looking at the autopsy report and the fifteen stab wounds caught my attention. That's a large number, boss, and with the wedding ring missing..."

Gibbs nodded at me, "You think it was a crime of passion?"

I shrugged, "It's hard to say what it could be, but questioning the wife is our best chance."

He started to leave, McGee following him, "Hart, good work!"

A smile spread across my face and excitement bubbled in my stomach. Maybe I wouldn't screw this up after all.

"What's got you so happy, Hart? We haven't caught the murderer yet." Tony's eyebrow quirked.

"It's Lacey, DiNozzo and I don't know, I'm just glad I did something right." I bit my lip, trying to suppress my grin, "My father said I would be a failure at anything outside of being a teacher."

He stared at me in disbelief, as if what I had told him opened up a can of worms he hadn't expected me to, "I see, but it looks like you've proven him wrong a lot."

I nodded my head and sat down at my desk searching for any other angles there might be on this case. I was feeling like I was on a roll and I needed to continue this. I threw myself into my work and waited for Gibbs to come back. Nothing; I found no other angle that made sense.

I dropped my head into my hands, "Why is it taking them so long?"

Tony looked up from his pile of work and laughed, "This is definitely your first case."

I glared at him just as I heard the elevator doors pop open. I bolted up and watched as Gibbs stepped out. He was leading a handcuffed Grace Alexander. I looked at Tony and he was just as surprised as I was. Gibbs passed us and nodded his head at me.

"She confessed to the whole thing after we found the knife in her sink. Said the Lieutenant Commander was cheating on her and deserved it." McGee stated.

"Wow, your hunch was right!" Tony said. I shrugged, not really pleased with how the case turned out. I had a lot of respect for the Army and Grace Alexander slandered their name by murdering her husband. "Paperwork time!"

"No, DiNozzo, everyone go home. It's been a long day. The paperwork can wait." Gibbs walked into the bullpen and nodded at us all.

"Thanks, boss! I might just be able to make our Valentine's reservations with Delilah!" Tim grinned and grabbed his gear; he left quickly.

I raised my eyebrow, "Delilah?"

"His girlfriend." Tony winked and I rolled my eyes, "You coming, Lacey?"

I shook my head, "I think I'm just going to get a head start on the paperwork."

"Hart, go home. Spend some time with your loved ones. That's what today's about right?" Gibbs questioned.

My face fell and I tried to cover it up, "Right, boss. I guess I am coming, Tony."

We got into the elevator and he pressed the button for the ground floor. "Any special plans for the night?"

"Not really, probably just some dinner and a movie." I shrugged, trying not to go into much detail, "What about you?"

"Quiet Valentine's are nice. Me? I've got a super hot date!" His smirk filled the entire elevator and I found myself rolling my eyes again. The elevator opened and we both went our separate ways. Maybe this year, Valentine's Day wouldn't feel so lonely. Today had been a better day; I felt like I could fit in with the team and maybe I was valuable to them. I felt like I belonged somewhere for the first time in a long time.

* * *

 **I hope you all have enjoyed this first chapter! Let me know what you think! :) The next chapter is in the works!**

 **Until then,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I sat down in my favorite booth at my favorite diner. This place was like a second home to me and I loved it. The staff knew me by name, they knew what I loved, they knew what I was allergic to, they knew me for me.

"What will it be today, Lacey?" Sally, the head waitress and owner, asked, a smile lighting up her face. Sally was my fiancé's mother and probably my best friend.

I couldn't keep the grin from forming on my own, "What ever Ace is making in the back."

"Comin' right up, darlin'!" Ace, Sally's husband and chef, shouted from the kitchen and gave me a wink.

Sally rolled her eyes and slid into the other side of the booth. "Another Valentine's Day alone, sweat pea?"

"Yeah." I shrugged.

"Lacey, you have to get out there! You can't keep hiding away in my diner every night." She gave me a pointed look.

"Sally, you know I can't. There's no one out there for me. Noah was- Noah was it for me."

Sally's eyes filled with tears, "My Noah loved you fiercely, but he would never want you throwing away an opportunity to be happy because of him. You know that."

I nodded my head slowly, "I don't think there is anyone out there who could ever make me as happy as he did. I know it's been over four years, but I just can't move on. He will always be the love of my life."

From the time we were six until Noah died, we were best friends. We did everything together, when he decided to join the Army, I decided to seek out Nakasaki. It was the first time we had been apart.

"You know you will always be apart of our family, don't you? You have been since you were a little girl. Ace and I love you like our own daughter, nothing will change that." She took my hand and gave it a tight squeeze. "Now, I have to see to my other customers, but I'll be back with your food."

I smiled at her and wiped a few stray tears away. I stared at the cup of coffee Sally must have sat in front of me and it brought me back to the first time I had came into this diner. Memories flashed by of the little girl in pigtails and I watched as she jumped up on the barstool. Her brother had taken her out for a secret hamburger. The Commander and Mom had instilled in us that we were vegetarians and against the consumption of meat.

My third oldest brother, Matthew, had always been my favorite. He was the only one who tried to stay in contact with me. Matt would take me out once a week to Sally's and we would stuff ourselves with burgers, fries, and milkshakes. After every meal, he would raise his finger to his mouth and say, "Shh, remember, don't tell Mom about this."

I would giggle and bounce off to the car, nodding my head. Of course, I wouldn't tell, I would do anything Matt asked of me. The bell over the door jingled and forced me out of my thoughts. I took a sip of my coffee and looked down at the file I had brought with me. The front of it had a giant read "CONFIDENTIAL" stamp on it. My finger played with the side of the manila folder.

I went to open it, but my senses heightened and I felt like someone was watching me. I looked up and caught the eyes of none other than Anthony DiNozzo himself. "Lacey?" He strode over causally to my booth.

"What happened to your hot date?" I raised an eyebrow and smirked.

He held up his hands in surrender and smiled, "You caught me. I don't have a hot date unless you count Sally. She's pretty cute."

"I heard that!" A gruff Ace said from the kitchen.

"Well, if it isn't one of my favorite customers! You haven't been in, in a long time, Anthony." Sally smiled and sat a burger, fries, Mac and cheese, and milkshake down in front of me. "You know my Lacey?"

Tony looked surprised, his eyes glanced between Sally and I, "Your Lacey? Your mom died? You're the commander's daughter?"

Sally nodded, "She did and yes, she is. Lacey was engaged to my Noah."

"Was? Where is he now?" Sally looked as if she would crumple any minute. The loss of her son would never fade.

I sat up straighter and let out a long breath, "He's dead."

"Oh." Was all Tony said.

Sally finally having come out of her daze jumped into waitress mode, "You want your usual, Anthony?"

He smiled gratefully and nodded. Sally turned on her heel and went into the kitchen. "Can I join you?"

"By all means." I grabbed the file and slid it into my purse.

Tony eyed it suspiciously, but said nothing. "I'm sorry."

"Hm?" I bit into a fry and looked into his eyes.

"I didn't know about your fiancé. Now I can see why you may have not wanted to go home tonight." He gave me a sympathetic smile.

I shrugged, "It's okay, it's been over four years now."

Tony's voice was thick with emotion, "It never gets easier though. Losing someone you love."

"You sound as if you know what it's like." I stated.

"I lost my mom when I was young." I nodded my head and bit into my burger. "You eat meat?"

The surprise was evident in his voice and I had to laugh, "Yes, lots of people eat meat, DiNozzo."

"Well, of course, but not Commander Hart. He was very adamant that no member in his family ate meat."

"I guess that means I haven't been a member of his family since I was six." I bit my lip trying not to laugh, "My brother brought me here when I was growing up every Wednesday night. It was our little secret. That's actually how I met Noah."

DiNozzo smiled, "Your brother seems like a cool guy."

I nodded my head, "He is. Matt's the only one I talk to from my family." I continued to eat my food as the conversation came to a lull. We sat in a silence all of its own. The soft songs from the jukebox at the fright floated through the quietness.

Sally sat DiNozzo's food down smiling and winking at me before she left. I rolled my eyes. "Did I miss something?"

"What?" I raised an eyebrow, dipping a fry into my milkshake and popping it into my mouth.

"The wink, the eye roll, I must have missed something." He stated.

A round of light laughter flowed freely from my lips, "Oh no, that's just Sally being Sally. She thinks I need to start putting myself back out there and apparently, you are a good candidate!"

"Maybe you should put yourself back out there. I'm sure you'd have a line of guys waiting for you." DiNozzo winked.

I shook my head, "I think I'll pass, DiNozzo."

"Oh please, call me Tony. We are on a date after all."

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't contain the easy smile that spread across my face. I found myself doing that a lot throughout the night. Surprisingly, Tony was an easy guy to talk to and he made me laugh quite a bit. Time seemed to pass by slowly as Tony and I sat, talking in my favorite booth. When I looked at the clock on the wall, I realized it was well into morning hours.

A yawn escaped my mouth, "I think it is time for me to take my leave."

"Oh, wow! I didn't mean to keep you here so long!" Tony said as he glanced at the time.

"It's okay, I had a lot of fun! Thanks, Tony." I smiled and stood up, grabbing my portfolio and the case file I had yet to examine. "See you in a few hours."

An easy grin found its way onto his face, "Yeah, see you in a few hours."

I walked over to the counter a laid some money near the register. "Goodnight, Ace! Tell Sally I left some money on the register!"

"Lacey Ann, you better not have!" Sally commanded as she walked out from the back, hands on her hips, "You know you never have to pay when you eat here."

I shrugged sheepishly, blew her a kiss and ducked out before she could say another word.

* * *

"Anthony, don't you run off. I need to talk to you!" Sally called as she hastened towards the booth I was sitting in.

I leaned forward and rested my hands on the coffee cup in front of me, "What's up, Sally?"

She nodded her head and sat down in the seat Lacey had just vacated, "You better be good to my girl."

"Sally, it's not like that. Lacey and I are coworkers and hopefully, now friends. There's nothing going on." I laughed.

"Oh please! Don't give me any of that nonsense. You had that girl laughing and smiling all night long. You weren't even flirting with her, which is unusual for you. So I assume that means you actually probably have feelings for her." Sally gave me a pointed look.

I sighed, "Sally, we just met each other. I won't be dating her anytime soon."

She patted my hand and grinned, "Of course not, sweetheart."

A groan made its way out of me and Sally bounced out of the booth and backed to the register. I laid some money down and went to the door.

"You break her heart, I will break you." Ace said, pointing a spatula at me.

"Don't worry, I don't intend on breaking anything." With that, I took my leave.

* * *

A dark shadow skirted along the wall of the diner. Two eyes peered out and watched as the young woman left. The eyes followed her all the way to her car. The shadow waited, wanting to take a chance and go after her now, but it knew to be patient.

The car sped off and he watched as the man who was talking with the young woman left the diner. The shadow needed to find out if this man would be a threat to the plan. The shadow slunk back into the darkness and as it turned to leave the moon shone brightly on its face. A scar ran the length of the right side; from his eyebrow down to his mouth. His neck was covered in skin leftover from a burn.

"I will get my revenge, Ms. Hart, and when I do you will be dead." The shadow sneered with evil.

* * *

 **I am so extremely sorry in the very long delay with this chapter! It hardly makes up for the long wait! My stories have taken somewhat of a backseat! But I promise I am back and ready to write! I hope you all have enjoyed this so far! There are many twists and turns planned for this story! Let me know what you think! :)**

 **Until next time,**

 **Theatrefreak10**

 **p.s. For my story purposes, the team is young. Most being in their late twenties or very early thirties, with the exception of Ducky, Gibbs, and Vance.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Just a fair warning, there is some talk of torture and blood farther along in the chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 3

The sandpaper ran over the coarse grain of the wood. The sound was rhythmic and it lulled me into a sense of calm. I had always found peace within the confines of the basement. The smell of saw dust clung to the air. My eyes zoned into the grain of the wood, it mesmerized me.

Another Valentine's Day and another boat. The sound of the small television in the corner drowned out the silence that surrounded me. An old western movie played across the screen, but I didn't pay much attention to it. The storm outside raged on, thunder and lightning striking. Suddenly the peace was gone. The dull ache inside me pushed its way to the forefront and I found myself rubbing the sandpaper harder against the wood.

My mind traced back a couple of decades and a handful of years ago, to one of the best Valentine's Days I had ever had. All to soon, I was being thrust into a truthful tale of Valentine's Day past.

"I'm going to teach you everything I know! I'll show you how to play house and how to sand a boat. We can play dress up and we'll help daddy build us a tree house. I'll show you how to do everything because I'm your big sister!" Kelly cooed at the small infant that was in the car seat next to her.

I glanced up into the rear view mirror and an easy grin found its way across my face. Shannon took my hand in her's and my eyes turned to quickly meet her expectant gaze.

"Two kids? How are we going to work this, Jethro?" She wanted to sound worried, but the smile on her gorgeous face gave her away. Her eyes lit up with emotions as she spoke about our two children who were nestled in the backseat.

I laughed, "Shannon, it's a little too late to stop it now. We have two kids and we'll be fine. Kelly will be seven this year and she's old enough to be able to help you around the house. She's elated to have a younger sibling. You know that."

Shannon nodded, "I'm just nervous. We didn't plan for this. We were only going to have Kelly."

"Would you change it now?"

"No, not for anything. You three are my world." I squeezed her fingers gently and focused in on the road ahead of us. We were going home after two days spent in the hospital with the arrival of our second child. The last nine months were full of surprises and unexpected turns. The first surprise being that Shannon was expecting.

A heavy snowfall had hit the Virginia town we lived in the day that the infant decided to make its grand entrance into the world. The snow had Shannon in a panic when she felt her water break. Thankfully my truck had four-wheel drive and we were able to make it to the hospital safely; barely in time for our second child to be born twenty-three minutes later.

I pulled into our driveway and turned off the engine. "J, look." Shannon's hand rested on my arm as she stared at the scene in the backseat. Kelly had fallen asleep, her hand securely placed on her baby sibling. The sight filled me with joy. This was my family and there was nothing I wouldn't do for them.

"You go on inside, I'll get the kids." I whispered. She nodded and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

"I love you, J. Happy Valentine's Day. "

"I love you too, Shannon, and Happy Valentine's Day to you."

Her eyes twinkled with mischief, "Maybe we should have named them Valentine. After all, February 12th is close enough to Valentine's Day. They're our little Valentine."

"Absolutely not! Do you know how awful that would be for them? They would be teased so much in school because of their name!" I shook my head, but couldn't hold in the low laugh that escaped through my lips, "Come here."

I pulled her closer and kissed her soundly. "Mm, you are a wonderful father and husband, J. We're so lucky to have you."

I let our foreheads rest together, "No, I am the lucky one."

Another crash of thunder had me bolting out of the trance I was in. I shook my head to rid myself of the flashback and stared at the now smooth stretch of wood. I had, apparently, continued to sand it down while I remembered that day so long ago.

I huffed and threw down the nearly dull piece of sandpaper and headed up the stairs. I laid down on the make shift bed I had made for myself years ago on the sofa and sighed. Sleep took a long time to come and when it did, I was thrown into more episodes of a life that seemed like only a blur.

My memory filled dream was cut short by the ringing of my phone and I rolled over to grab it off of the coffee table, "Gibbs."

* * *

The rain pounded harder against the mud ridden streets of the small village. I wasn't supposed to be out here, Nagasaki told me as much. I had completed the majority of my training and I was eager to get my first assignment, little did I know my first assignment was already waiting for me.

I had been in solitude for thirty-seven days and sixteen hours. I was itching to get out and explore the streets, so I snuck out. The rain was unexpected, but exhilarating. It made me feel alive after battling with my inner darkness. My senses had become heightened and I felt like I could hear each individual droplet hitting the dirt. It was an odd sensation.

That's when I felt it, the small twinge in my neck. Suddenly, I was falling deep into a pit of darkness. When I woke up, I was chained to a metal beam that ran the length of a cold metal ceiling. It took my eyes a while to adjust after the effects of whatever drug was in my system.

I looked around and realized that I must have been in a cellar. The walls were made of dirt and I could only assume that the ground was as well. There was a large metal door directly in front of me and it swung open. I barely flinched at the noise it created. My captors came in, three men in total, each wearing matching grimaces.

"She is obviously American." The words came from the man in the middle. He was the largest of the three and tattoos ran the length of his muscular arms. His voice was laced with a heavy Japanese accent.

One of the other two stepped forward and sneered at me, "What are you doing here, girl?" I spit in his face. "Feisty and pretty, they'll pay a heavy amount once we get you calmed down."

"Blondes always fetch a high price. Father will be pleased." The third one reached up and ran his fingers through my hair. I pulled back and used the chains to pull me up enough to kick the man in his gut. He growled and punched me in the face. I spit the blood out of my mouth and smiled.

I knew I shouldn't have egged them on, but I couldn't help it. I needed to get them to show their weakness quickly and the best way to do that was to anger them. A series of blows was sent to my rib cage; I didn't give way to any pain.

"Hm looks like we have a tough one, brothers." The largest man spoke as he came towards me, "You may be tough, girl, but you will never be able to withstand this."

He ripped my shirt open and lightly dragged a knife down the skin of my stomach. My breath hitched in my throat as I watched the scene that played out before me. Just as the knife was getting ready to plunge into my side a faint ringing had me bolting up out of my bed.

I stood on the cold wood floor as I struggled to catch my breath. Rain pounded against the large windows behind me, the thunder crashed, and the lightning brought flashes of brightness into my room. My hand clutched my side and the eight inch scar burned. It was only a nightmare, one I had lived, but a nightmare all the same. The ringing caught my attention and I was lunging for my phone.

"Hello?" I said a little breathlessly.

"Well, good morning to you too." Tony chuckled.

I checked my clock, "Good morning? It's barely four! What do you want, Tony?" My voice sounded more irritated than it should have been.

There was a long pause on the other line before he answered, "We've got a case. Boss wants us at the crime scene A-S-A-P."

"Okay, I'll be there in thirty minutes." I sighed.

"Everything alright, Lacey?" I could hear the concern in his voice and I hated it.

"Yes, Tony, everything's fine. I need to go get ready. I'll see you in thirty, text me the address." With that I hung up.

My breath was still a bit labored and I focused on getting it under control. It took a few minutes and then I was rushing around my apartment. A text notification came through and I knew Tony had sent me the address of the murder. I pulled on a pair of jeans and the first t-shirt I could find. I slipped my feet into a pair of combat boots and grabbed my NCIS jacket.

I grabbed my keys and as I ran down the stairs of my apartment complex I tied my hair back into a ponytail before slipping it through the back of the NCIS hat. I climbed into my car and allowed myself a moment to breathe.

I made it onto the highway in record timing. Before heading towards the crime scene, I stopped off at my favorite twenty-four hour coffee place and grabbed a large cup to go. Today was bound to be a long day and I would need the extra caffeine to get me through it. I got caught in some light traffic, but eventually I made it to the crime scene.

It was located on a back round of D.C. A petty officer was run off the road and shot dead only a few hours ago. I tried not to be annoyed by the fact that I was up at four in the morning to investigate my second murder; there truly was no rest for the wicked.

I pulled in behind the NCIS issued vehicles and drank down the remainder of my coffee. I crawled out of the car and my hand went immediately to my badge and identification. I showed the officer who was guarding the crime tape and he let me pass.

"It's about time you got here, Hart." Gibbs gave me a scorching look and I grumbled about the traffic. "DiNozzo, show her what to do."

"Yes, Boss!" Tony grinned, "Let's go, Probie! Grab a camera and follow me!"

* * *

 **I hope that you have enjoyed this next chapter! Please let me know what your thoughts are! I love hearing from you all and that is really what keeps me from not quitting my stories! I appreciate the follows and favorites from each of you! School has officially wrapped up for me so I am excited to be able to devote more time to my writings and to be able to regularly post new chapters! I have so many possible storylines for the next chapters so just know that I have no clue what is going to happen next, just like the rest of you! I go where the story takes me and right now it is taking me in about ten different directions! :) We are all in for surprises I am sure! Thanks again for your continued patience!**

 **See ya later,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The rain kept pounding against the back of my NCIS jacket. I took my hat off my head to wipe the hair out of my eyes before replacing it. Footprints ran the length of the car and I made sure to capture a photo of them.

The victim was Petty Officer Nancy Roland. Apparently she had been on her way to her fiancé's house for the weekend when she was run off of the road and shot point blank three times.

"Looks like the murderer came down to see if the Petty Officer was really dead." I stated.

"Dust the door for prints. Maybe they left some behind." Gibbs called as he made his way down the hill.

Tony huffed, "Wouldn't the rain have washed them off by now?"

Gibbs gave him a "don't you start" look and Tony did as he said. I grabbed an umbrella and opened it over his head so the fingerprint powder wouldn't wash away. As Tony went to work on the door I examined the car's contents. Pop bottles and receipts littered the floor.

I handed Tony the umbrella and bent over the Petty Officer's body in order to get a better look. I leant in father and her hand fell off the steering wheel. A neatly folded, triangle shaped paper floated to her lap. I grabbed some tweezers and picked it up.

"Hey, boss. I think I've got something." I pulled out of the car and held up the tweezers.

Gibbs walked over, examining the small triangle in my grasp, "Open it up. See if it's significant."

I nodded my head and Tony took the umbrella from me. I made careful work of unfolding the piece of paper only to find small scribbling on it. "It says something: In order to understand your past you must figure out your present. The answers you are searching for lie within the DNA of her, Amaya." My heart began pounding against my ribcage and I struggled to find breath.

"Hart, you doing okay?" Gibbs's voice was like ice water and it had me jumping out of my own panic.

"The body was meant for me to find." I whispered. My eyes scanned the paper to make sure I had read correctly, "Not just the body. Someone wanted me to find this piece of paper."

Tony brushed up behind me and I knew he was searching the paper, "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I am Amaya."

Without missing a beat Gibbs spoke, "DiNozzo, I want you to take Lacey to Abby and have her run any sort of analysis on this paper. You stay with them until McGee and I finish up here. Don't let her out of your sight, understand me?"

He nodded his head, "Yes, boss! On it, boss! Lacey, let's go."

"No, but- but the paper said-" I turned back towards the wrecked car as Tony continued to pull me away.

"You're probably just in shock. Come on, Lacey, you heard Gibbs." Tony grumbled as he pushed me towards my car, "Where are your keys?"

I'm not sure when, but somehow the slim piece of paper was put securely into an evidence bag and now resided in my hands. "Keys? Oh, keys! Right!"

I went to make my way to the driver's side, but he stopped me, "I think it's best that I drive. Boss's orders and all."

I nodded my head and climbed into my car. The drive back to our NCIS base of operations was extremely quiet. My mind was solely focused on one thing and one thing only: the use of my Japanese nickname. While I was training with Nagasaki, he had given me the name and he was the only one who knew of it.

I thought of the last time I had even spoken to him; it was just before my mother had died. I couldn't get my heart to get back to a steady pace as I continued to think about the name in that note. Nothing registered in my brain until my car door opened.

"Come on, Hart. We need to get you inside." Tony said, slightly impatiently.

My instincts kicked in and it was almost like autopilot turned on within me. Everything Nagasaki had trained me to do was centered around one lesson: no matter what you face, you go into it with a level head and a critical eye. I gripped the evidence bag even harder as we continued to make our way to Abby's lab and it didn't take us very long to reach it.

"Whoa!" Abby spun around on her black, platform boots as we entered her lab. A box of what seemed to be old evidence bags flew into the air as she saw us.

Tony laughed before bending down to retrieve the fallen box, "Sorry, Abs. We didn't mean to scare you."

She grinned, "It's okay! I'm just not used to having visitors so early on in a case! What are you two doing back from the crime scene? It is a crime scene, right? It wasn't just a weird hunting accident or something? Did you catch the bad guy already? Although, in any case it could have been a woman who killed the victim. So I guess I should rephrase that question- did you catch the bad person?"

"No," I stepped forward a little, "we haven't caught the murderer yet, but we did find something slightly odd."

"And by slightly odd, she means extremely weird and important." Tony stated.

"Oh." Abby's eyes grew wide with excitement, "Let me see!" I handed her the evidence bag and she examined the note. "Interesting. Who's Amaya and why does she need to understand her past and or her present?"

"Wellllllll-" Tony began.

"I'm Amaya and I have no idea why I'm supposed to understand either of those. Don't even ask if I have a clue as to what is so intriguing about Petty Officer Roland's DNA."

"Very interesting..." She tapped her fingers against her chin and seemed to be in deep thought for a moment, "Let me run some tests on the DNA and see if I can dig up anything. Did you bring me a sample of her DNA by any chance?"

Before I could tell her that I completely forgot to get a swab, Tony handed her the testing kit. Abby turned towards her machines and he smiled at me, "That's why we're partners. I am an extremely experienced professional investigator."

I rolled my eyes, but let him know how sincerely relieved I was, "Thank you, Tony. My forgetfulness today will never happen again."

"Don't beat yourself up, kid. It happens to the best of us. Just let it go and move on."

"Kid?" I raised my eyebrows, "I'm not that much younger than you."

Tony laughed, "Whatever you say, Hart, whatever you say."

* * *

Five hours feels like an eternity when you are waiting for your only substantial piece of evidence to finish undergoing tests. I was currently banging my head against my desk and waiting for a call from Abby. I let out a frustrated sigh before hitting my head again.

"Hart, why don't you go down and see Abby." Gibbs said from his desk.

I lifted my head up off my desk and looked at him. He was flipping through files. "If she had anything, she would have called, right?"

His eyes met my own, "Go."

"Right, boss." I nodded my head and flew to the elevator. I tapped my foot as I made my descent into the lab for the second time that day. The doors opened and I walked into the lab.

"Oh, hey, Lacey!" Abby smiled as she turned towards her computers and typed away.

"Nothing?" I asked.

She shook her head, "Sorry, not yet and I've run every test I can think of!"

I closed my eyes and another sigh escaped my lips. I pushed myself up onto the table that held most of the evidence from the crime scene. "I don't understand! None of this makes sense to me. I don't need to understand my past, I understand it pretty well considering I lived it! What does Nancy Roland have to do with me?"

"Wait a minute!" Abby spun around quickly and breezed passed me, "What if we aren't supposed to just focus on her DNA? What if we are supposed to compare DNA?"

"Whose DNA would we comp-" I stopped, "You mean compare my DNA to her's? But, why?"

She grabbed another DNA test kit and came towards me, "Honestly? I have no clue, but it is worth a shot! Besides I have tried everything I can think of in terms of tests and I haven't come up with anything."

I nodded my head and took the swab from her. I swabbed the inside of my cheek and then handed it back.

"Okay, so maybe it's none of my business, but it kind of pertains to the case so technically it is my business..."

"What's up, Abby?" I questioned.

Abby put the swab into a machine and pressed a few buttons, "What's up with the whole Amaya nickname? Like obviously you have to know who would call you that."

"You're right, I do." I stated as I watched my feet swing.

"So, who calls you that?" She turned towards me.

"Yeah, actually, I was wondering the same thing." Tony's voice came from the door.

I twisted and noticed not just Tony, but Gibbs and McGee as well, "It's not important. I promise."

"Not important? I may have given you my approval to join my team, but I haven't given you my complete trust yet. You need to earn that, Hart, and you can start by telling us about the nickname." Gibbs demanded.

I dropped my head in my hands and contemplated my next move. I had come this far in my career and I worked so hard for this. "There is only one person who has ever used that nickname for me, Nagasaki."

"Perfect! He's our number one suspect now." Tony went to leave.

"He can't be." I jumped off the table and gripped the edges until my knuckles turned white.

Tony turned around and huffed, "And why can't he be?"

"Because, Tony, I buried him two years ago."

The room became void of any noise except for that of the machines running. Complete and utter silence enveloped all of us as they took in what I had said.

"Okay, but someone else must have known about your nickname." McGee suggested.

I shook my head, "Nagasaki gave it to me when I finished my training. It was to signify that I had completed the hardest challenge any human could endure. He used it once before he died. There is nothing in this world, to my knowledge, that has me tied to the nickname. I swear to you all."

Tony quirked an eyebrow, "Hardest challenge?"

"DiNozzo, that's not important." Gibbs said just as something chimed.

"It's done!" Abby clapped her hands together and bounced over to one of the computers, "Of course not."

"Abs?" Gibbs asked.

"I thought maybe Lacey and the Petty Officer could have been related, but they're DNA is completely different. No genetic markers whatsoever. That's pretty much the final test I can run. I have nothing, Gibbs, absolutely nothing. Forensics has failed me today." Abby's face fell and her shoulders slumped.

McGee came up beside her, "It wasn't forensics, Abs. This is just going to be a tough case."

A cell phone rang and we all watched as Gibbs answered it, "Gibbs." Once again the room was silent as we waited in anticipation as to what this phone call entailed. He hung up and headed for the door, "Let's go! Another body was found. Victim was run off the road and shot, point blank three times in the chest."

"Two murders in less than eight hours of each other? Interesting coincidence." I said as we followed Gibbs towards the elevators.

"Rule thirty-nine, Hart." Gibbs barked.

I paused, "Rule thirty-nine?"

"There is no such thing as a coincidence." Tony supplied.

* * *

Traffic was a nightmare as we made our way over to the second crime scene of the day. The storm had turned into a light drizzle since this morning and that would make for an easier examination of the scene.

"So, keeping rule thirty-nine in mind, it's no coincidence that both the murders took place on the same road only two miles apart?" I inquired.

Tony nodded as we showed our badges to the guarding police officers, "Trust me, you're going to want to remember these rules. Gibbs has this whole set and no one is quite sure how he came up with them all, but he lives by them and so do we."

"Got it." I affirmed.

The victims truck had been run off the road and into the woods just like Petty Officer Roland's. For some reason the truck seemed oddly familiar, but I couldn't place it.

"Hart, can you see if you can find another note?" Gibbs called from the van.

"On it, Boss!" I made my way towards the driver's side and captured some pictures of the footprints that trailed the length of the car. I took a picture of the driver's side window; it had been shattered from the bullets.

As I came closer to the truck I let out a gasp and the camera fell from my hands into the mud.

"Lacey, you really should be careful with our cameras." McGee said. His words only barely registered in my brain as I took in the victim. "Lacey, everything okay?"

My hands flew up and covered my mouth and I could hardly catch my breath.

"Boss!" Tony's voice shouted from somewhere. His warm hand laid on my shoulder and squeezed gently.

"Hart, talk to me. What did you find?" Gibbs stepped between the car and me, but I could still see the body as if I was staring right at it.

"It's- it's my brother, Gibbs. They killed my brother."

* * *

 **Well, I have finally uploaded a new chapter for you all! (I feel like I am always apologizing for being late in my uploads so I will refrain from doing so right now!) I had so many ideas for where I wanted to take this story and I found it difficult to narrow them down to one, but I have finally done it! I hope you all will like what I have in store! What did you think of this chapter? I would love to hear from you, faithful readers! Your reviews help me to want to continue these journeys I create! Thank you for your continued support!**

 **More to come,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

My head was pounding. Absolutely and utterly pounding. I was sitting at my desk rubbing circles into my temples. The past twenty-four hours had been killer, no pun intended, and I honestly just wanted to crawl back into my bed. After identifying the body as my brother Jack's, Gibbs had Tony once again rush me back to the bullpen. I was frustrated; not only because Gibbs had pulled me away from two crime scenes, but because the murderer was obviously trying to play me in some way.

A bottle of aspirin was sat on my desk, in front of my face and I looked up to find Tony with a sad smile. "I thought you could use some pain relief. You look like you're ready to fall into a pain induced coma."

I nodded my thanks and popped off the lid. I dumped a couple of pills into my hand and quickly swallowed them with my water. "Have you heard from Gibbs or McGee?" I asked hopefully, handing him back the bottle of pills.

"No," he shook his head, "I don't expect we'll hear anything until they're standing in front of us. We'll just have to wait it out. In the meantime, why don't we work on digging up anything on Petty Officer Nancy Roland?"

"Okay, yeah, that's probably the best idea you've had, DiNozzo." I smirked.

Tony laughed, "I'm full of great ideas, Hart, full of them."

I bit my lip and held back the smart retort I wanted to say, but he knew what I was thinking and he only shook his head with more laughter. "Alright, Petty Officer Nancy Roland was stationed at the Navy ship in the seaport Mina Salman located in Manama, Bahrain." I pulled up her driver's license and Naval records on the flatscreen.

"She was forty-five years of age, engaged and it appears that she doesn't have any immediate family." Tony said, taking the clicker from my hand.

"Don't you find that odd?" I questioned. He turned to me with a skeptical look. "Roland has no record of being in foster care, which means she wasn't an orphan. I suppose it could have been a private adoption, but her adoptive parents would still be listed. We couldn't even find her birth certificate, Tony. Why is that?"

His eyebrows furrowed as he mulled over the inquiries I had just given, "I have an idea. What if Nancy Roland isn't actually her name? What if she had it legally changed and the documents from her past are just sealed under a different name?"

"Yes! That would explain everything!" I followed him over to his computer as he began to search for any legalized name changes under Nancy Roland.

"This search might take awhile, why don't you go see if Ducky has dug up anything from her autopsy?" I nodded my head and went over to the elevator. I patiently waited for it to get to the floor and when the doors opened McGee and Gibbs stepped out.

"Hey, boss!" I said.

"Hart, perfect. You can go with McGee to Abby. We found another note and collected more DNA." Gibbs held up the evidence bag and I grabbed it from his hands.

"Oh, Amaya. How dreadfully slow. Your answers now lie between the DNA of friend and foe." Read the note. "They certainly aren't very creative. What kind of serial killer rhymes?"

"Once you're done there, you and I are going to notify the family of the victim." He nodded and sent us off to Abby. I took in a deep breath and forced myself to push the image of my brother, dead in his truck, out of my mind.

"Lacey, you can always take a pass on this case. Gibbs would understand." McGee quietly stated as we rode the elevator.

I shook my head, "Whoever the murderer is, they are trying to force my hand and I won't give them the satisfaction of having me pulled off the case, McGee. I know how to set aside my emotions."

He nodded and the elevator doors opened. Abby was bustling around the lab in a frenzied manner. As she heard the glass doors slide open, her head popped up.

"Good you're here! Give me!" She grabbed for the bag and began to move around her lab in a way that only someone so familiar with the space could.

I tapped my fingers against the table, "So... How long will these tests take?"

Abby placed a few DNA samples into a machine and pressed a button, "If we're lucky it'll only be a few minutes. Otherwise, who knows."

I nodded and played with the necklace at my throat; it was my safeguard, my arrow. I watched McGee lend Abby a hand with her computers and I felt useless. Computers and science were definitely never my strong suit. Sure, I could hack a government agency with the best of them, but I was better with hitting the streets and collected the evidence.

A slight ding sound was made and my head shot up from watching my fingers twiddle, "So what's the verdict?"

"Hm. That's odd." Abby spoke, nudging McGee to look at the results.

"Did you mix up the samples?" He questioned.

She shook her head and went over to her machine. Abby fiddled with the DNA and bit her lip, "Let's try this again." She placed new DNA into individual vials and labeled them. We all watched so that she would know it was done right. Placing them into the machine, she pressed a string of buttons and then went back to the computers.

This time, it didn't take so long for the sound to play. Abby bit her lip again, "It's the same, Tim."

"Guys," I called from where I stood, "A little lost over here. What's happening? What's the same?"

Abby and McGee shared a look that I couldn't quite read; it was a look of understanding between two people who had been friends for years. "Only two of the DNA samples match." McGee stated.

"Okay, so what's the problem? Of course two of the samples matched! One is mine and one is my brother's!" I laughed easily, "That's not that big of a deal."

Abby sighed deeply, "Lacey, your sample wasn't one of them."

"Wha- what?" I stumbled, feeling the blood rushing to my ears and muffling sounds.

"See, this is the petty officer's sample and this is your brother's. They have a 50.3% match which means they are siblings. And this-" McGee pointed to the left of the screen and his voice sounded hidden, "This is your sample. It doesn't match either one."

I stared at the screen, not fully registering the depth of this information. I felt dizzy, so I clutched the metal desk. "Hey, Lacey, let's sit you down okay?" Abby's arm circled around me and she pushed me into her couch, "I'll test them again. Science can sometimes be wrong."

I shook my head, not trusting my voice to say anything. My DNA didn't match my brother's. How was that possible? I've seen the baby pictures of all of us. Sure, I didn't have pictures of me in the hospital, but that didn't mean-

"Oh my gosh!" I jumped up quickly, startling Abby and McGee, "Oh my gosh! I'm- Oh my gosh!"

"Lacey, easy there." McGee whispered as he gently took my arm.

Suddenly, I needed to leave and without saying anything I ran for the stairs; the elevator would have taken too long. I ran up the two flights it took to get to the bullpen and I rushed to my desk. Tony's head shot up at my hastened pace.

He stood up and came to me, "Hey, everything okay?"

"I have to go." I panted, grabbing my car keys, my gun, and my badge.

"Why don't I ride along?" He raised an eyebrow. Clearly, he was trying to make sure I didn't do anything rash or crazy.

I shook my head, "No, Tony." Rash and crazy was what I needed to do.

I flew to the elevator, but it opened with Gibbs and I made a beeline for the stairs. There is no way I was getting stuck in one of his elevator meetings. I heard the two men call my name, but I kept going.

* * *

"What in the world was that about?" Gibbs growled to me as we watched the stairway door slams closed.

I shrugged, "She just said she had to go."

He quirked a brow at me, "And why aren't you with her?"

Before I could reply, McGee and Abby rushed in. "Oh good! You're both here." Abby said, a file in her hand.

"What did you find that sent Hart bolting?" Gibbs grouched.

McGee, knowing better than to dance around the information, spoke, "The Petty Officer's DNA and Jack Hart's match. Lacey's doesn't."

Surprise registered in me as I realized why Lacey was in such a hurry. I turned to Gibbs who stood ridged. Why wasn't he just as surprised by this information? He grabbed his gun and keys and left almost as quickly as Lacey did. What was going on?

"I'm assuming that Gibbs probably knows where Lacey went." Abby sighed.

We nodded in agreement and went our separate ways. I dropped into my desk chair and prayed that Gibbs would reach Lacey in time. She was my partner and friend, I couldn't afford for her to do something rash.

* * *

I hit the gas pedal harder and my car sped along. Anger was dripping from me as I clenched the steering wheel in my hands. Right turn, left turn, left turn, right turn, left turn, right turn, right turn. I came to a screeching halt in the driveway of a sprawling farm house.

I threw my car into park and jumped out. Making quick work of the few yards between the driveway and the porch, I hit my knuckles hard against the door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Hold your horses!" Came a growling, deep voice from inside. I could hear the locks sliding out of the way and finally the door swung open, "Lacey!"

"Commander." I nodded my head at the man I had thought was my father for the past twenty-seven years.

"This is a-" he paused, searching for the appropriate term, "surprise."

I huffed, "I'm sure it is. We need to talk, but not here."

"What have you gotten yourself into this time?" The Commander growled.

An eye roll threatened to show as I spoke, "I haven't needed you to get me out of anything ever, what makes you think I'd need you to now?"

"We can talk here."

"No," I shook my head, "we need to go somewhere else."

The Commander folded his arms and stood his ground, but I refused to back down. "Fine, if you want to play that game," I began to pull out my-

"Lacey," Came Gibbs's stern voice, "this isn't the way to handle it."

"Gibbs, it's not what you're thinking." I sighed.

"You two know each other?" The Commander huffed.

I rolled my eyes, "Sorry, I didn't send you the memo." My hand traveled back down to my hip.

"Lacey-" Gibbs warned.

I pulled out my badge, "NCIS Special Agent Lacey Hart. I'm going to need you to come with me."

"Get off my porch."

I felt a stiff body stand behind me, "My agent asked you to come with her, Commander, I think it best if you comply."

The Commander mumbled something, but stepped onto the porch and shut his door, "Fine then. Let's go."

I opened the back door of my car and waited for him to get in. As I shut the door, my eyes met Gibbs's, "Hart, you going to be fine?"

"I'll be fine, boss." I nodded my head and climbed into the car.

* * *

 **It has been ages since I've updated and I'm truly sorry for that. Life has been hectic, but I have quite a bit of time on my hands now and I hope to have another update for my Hawaii Five-O story and this one in the following days! Thank you for your constant reviews and follows! Your messages mean the world to me!**

 **Until next time!**

 **Theatrefreak10**


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The Commander mumbled under his breath the entire ride back to the yard and I was about ready to pull my gun on him. However, Gibbs was following me and I didn't think he would take to the idea. I pulled into a parking space and was met by a very expectant team. Gibbs helped the Commander out and led him inside. I didn't move. I couldn't move. Why had I taken this job in the first place? So far it had only been a headache and a nightmare.

The front passenger door opened and shut. I didn't need to look over to see who had climbed it. "So, this is a turn of events." He said.

I chuckled hollowly, "This whole case has been one turn of events after another."

Tony sighed, "I'd ask if you're okay, but I know better than to do that now. So, instead I'll just ask if you want to get a burger."

"Right now?"

"Yes, that is what I intended." He laughed.

I turned to look at him incredulously, "You're joking. I'm not missing this. He's lied to me for 27 years and I want an explanation."

"I get that, Lacey. Believe me, I do, but maybe we should just take a step back here for the day. Give yourself some time to process."

I shook my head, "You know, all my life, all I ever wanted to do was to make him proud. I thought he hated me because I was a girl, because he had only wanted boys and somehow his last child turned out to be me. I just wanted to have him be proud to call me his daughter. I wanted him to love me. How stupid could I have been? Now, at least I know he hated me because I wasn't his own blood."

Tony shook his head, "You weren't stupid, Lacey, you were a kid that wanted the love of a parent and you were willing to do anything to try an attain that. That's admirable."

"Maybe, who knows. I just want answers. I want to know why it had to be a secret. Why couldn't they have just said that I was adopted? It would have made growing up in their awful house so much easier. I would have been so much better off knowing, but I guess it's just another way that the Commander could show me how much he despised me being apart of his family." I shrugged and turned away.

"So what's the plan? Burgers or staying?"

"I want to stay, Tony. I want to stay and hear what he has to say for himself. 2 people are dead because of their tie to me and I need to know why it was important for the DNA to be tested."

He smiled, "Yeah, I didn't think there was a chance for me to talk you into making a trip to Sally's."

I returned his smile with a halfhearted one of my own. He meant well and I appreciated the effort, but I wanted answers now, "Maybe afterwards we can go. I haven't been to Sally's since Valentine's."

"It's a plan then. As soon as we've got this whole ordeal wrapped up today, we're going for burgers and fries." Tony nodded to himself and we both slipped out of my car. It didn't take us long to get into the bullpen and when we did, we found the rest of the team gathered around Gibbs's desk.

"You were supposed to get her out of here, Tony." McGee said nervously.

He shrugged, "What can ya do, McGoo, she's a manipulative one."

"I don't want to interrogate him." I said to no one other than Gibbs, "I just want to watch from the other side."

Gibbs nodded, not contesting me at all, "Tony, you stick with Hart. McGee you're with me, let's go."

We walked down towards the interrogation room and I bit my lip. It was a nervous habit I had picked up in high school and I had yet to break it. Tony went into the observation room and before Gibbs could walk into the room that held the Commander, I stopped him. "I want to speak with him later. By myself. I just need some answers."

"Hart-" Gibbs began and I knew he would protest.

I shook my head, "I promise not to do anything insane. I just want a few moments alone with him. After this, I never want to see him again, but I need to close this case at least."

He contemplated it for a few seconds before slowly nodding, "On one condition, I will be observing from the other side."

I could live with this, so I agreed quickly and left Gibbs in the hallway. Tony carefully watched me as I took my place beside him. His eyes practically bored holes into the side of my head. I stood stoically, my arms crossed in an attempt to make myself look strong.

I watched the man I had called father, at one point, closely. He had aged since I last saw him and his 65 years was showing more than it ever had. Gibbs sat down at the table, McGee just standing off to the side. A file was placed before Gibbs began a methodical approach to laying everything else out.

"I don't know why you're watching me, Tony. I'm not going to do anything crazy." I stated firmly.

"Yeah," He laughed nervously, "I'd feel better if you had left your gun in your desk."

I removed the gun from my side holster and dislodged the clip, setting it on the computer table. I emptied the barrel and laid the bullets down next to the clip before dropping the empty handgun into Tony's hand, "There."

I tapped my foot, ready for Gibbs to get the interrogation started. Why was he stalling? He turned towards the mirror window and gave a pointed look that I know was directed towards my impatience. It was eerie how he knew these things without even looking at us.

"I won't beat around the bush with you, Commander, we know that a certain Petty Officer Nancy Roland was your daughter." McGee said as Gibbs pushed her photo in front of the Commander.

"Why is this important?" He quirked a challenging eyebrow.

I watched as Gibbs pulled out another photo, this being one showing the deceased, "Because she was found dead, murdered in her car."

The commander's face contorted in disbelief, "You're lying."

"Afraid not," McGee stated and pulled out another photo, "Jackson Hart, found dead, murdered in his car."

"This is some sick joke you're playing on me, Lacey." He called out and looked to the mirror. I took in a sharp breath and wished it was just some sick joke.

"It isn't a joke. We found them dead, James. Someone's targeting your family and I want to know who it could be." Gibbs voice was quiet, but it held a firm sincerity.

"They're gone?" The Commander crumpled under the weight of the information. I watched as he began to weep for the loss of his children. My heart was hurtfully torn between despising this man and wanting to comfort him. I shook my head, not being able to handle anymore of this.

"How about-" my voice was thick with emotion and I had to swallow the lump in my throat before continuing to speak, "How about that burger?"

Tony didn't say anything as he lead me out of the observation room and away from the scene in the interrogation room. I numbly walked, not really registering where I was going or what I was doing. I felt my pants scratch against leather and found myself sitting in Tony's car.

He drove quietly towards the diner. It was situated in a more historic suburb. Old storefronts surrounded the 50's themed diner. Tony helped me out and into the quiet restaurant. He led me to the booth we had sat in that night and it squeaked underneath our weight.

"Alright, Lace, what do you want? My treat alright!" I didn't answer, I just stared out the window. My brain was a jumbled mess and I had so many emotions coursing through me that I didn't know what to do. "I'm guessing a burger, fries, and a mocha chip shake. Yep, that's definitely what you want. I'll go let Ace know our plan. You sit tight."

* * *

I looked back nervously as I left Lacey at the booth. I had no clue what to do for her. She was in a daze. I walked up the counter and caught Ace's attention.

"Well, if it isn't mister flirt pants. You staying away from my girls?" He raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Staying away from one of them at least. Listen, I need 2 burgers and 2 sides of fries. I've got an out of it Lacey over there and I have no clue what to do, Ace. Where's Sally?"

Ace's eyes grew wide with worry, "She's in the office, let me go grab her." He ran back and in a few seconds, they both came rushing out.

Sally frantically searched until she spotted me, "Anthony, what happened? Is she hurt?"

"No and yes. She found out she was adopted and her adoptive family is pretty much a mess. Her adoptive brother was found murdered as was her adoptive sister of which she knew nothing about. But I don't know what happened to her. She's been pretty stoic and fine up until the last thirty minutes. We were watching the interrogation of the Commander and she just froze up before asking if I wanted to get a burger. You gotta help her, Sally, please." I was on the verge of begging which is not something I'd pride myself in. Lacey had quickly become one of my closest friends and I needed to help her.

Sally patted my arm, "It'll be alright, Anthony. I've seen her like this before. I'll handle it."

I nodded numbly and watched as she went over to the booth. Lacey didn't even acknowledge Sally's presence, but I knew that she knew. Lacey wasn't one to just give up the knowledge of her surroundings. She was always on high alert. A milkshake was slid onto the counter in front of me and I looked up. Ace shrugged and gave me a half smile.

"Don't go soft on me now, Ace." I laughed uneasily.

"Never, DiNozzo, but I figure you did good in bringing her here. You deserve it this once."

* * *

"Lacey, honey, talk to me." Sally's voice was calm and soothing. Her hand found its way into mine and she squeezed it gently.

"I want to hate him." I whispered to the glass of the window, my pitiful expression staring back at me, "I desperately want to hate him, Sally, but I can't."

She chuckled softly, "Of course, you can't. It's not in you to hate a being, sweetheart."

"I want to though. I'm so mad. He- he treated me like dirt all my life and it's because I wasn't his to love. I don't even know what I was or why he would have ever agreed to adopt me." Tears sprang to my eyes and I used my free hand to angrily wipe them away.

"Maybe he loved you then and I think he loves you in his own sort of way. The Commander is a gruff man."

I laughed bitterly, "Gosh, I wish people would stop sticking up for him. Even Noah did. You know that was the last thing we ever talked about? We got into this huge fight because I didn't want to invite anyone from my family besides Matt and Noah told me that I would regret it. He thought it would be a good bonding moment for the Commander and I. Ya know, to walk his only daughter down the aisle? Gosh, how can everyone be so blind to it."

Sally's arm wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me into a warm embrace, "I don't think we're blind. I think we all just hope that it's the truth."

"Yeah, well, I gave up that hope a long time ago, Sally."

"I know you did, sweetheart, I know." Her hand ran gentle circles over my back and I found myself leaning further into her motherly embrace, "Now, listen. You've got a very frantic boyfriend over there that you need to talk to."

I groaned and pulled away, "He's not my boyfriend, Sally. He's my coworker and friend. That's it."

Sally laughed easily, "You both just keep telling yourselves that. Maybe eventually you'll believe it."

She left me in the booth feeling slightly better than when I arrived. Just as she left, Tony took her place and I found myself at a loss at how to explain what I was feeling. I hated emotions and displaying them. I cleared my throat a few times before attempting to speak, "I- I'm sorry if I worried you."

"What happened, Lacey?"

"He would never react like that to my death." I whispered. Tony raised an eyebrow at my statement and I tried to come up with a better explanation, "For 27 years, he was my father. Whether we both liked it or not. Not once did he ever show me emotion such as the emotion he showed today. I may not have been his blood, but was I not still his daughter?"

A mixture of remorse and anger flashed across his face, "You were his daughter, Lacey, and the fact that he did not show that to you angers me more than you know."

I bit my lip, "Thank you... for understanding, I mean."

"I might have panicked just a little bit." Tony admitted embarrassingly.

"A little bit?" I laughed.

He smiled, "Okay, so it was more than that. What can I say? You were dazed and that is definitely freaky."

I shook my head and our burgers were placed in front of us. We ate and talked like friends would, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I was still thinking about the Commander. It was another hour before Tony asked if I wanted to go back. After talking with him for so long, I was feeling more confident in myself and less emotional.

The drive back to the yard was quiet until Tony decided we needed entertainment. 80's music started flowing through the speakers and I couldn't help, but laugh as he started singing along to the songs. We walked into an almost vacant bullpen. The only people remaining were Gibbs and McGee.

"Are you still going to talk to him?" Tony asked quietly, trying not to draw the attention of the other two.

I nodded, "I'm fine now. I mean, I don't know what I'm going to say, but I know that I'll be fine. Maybe not okay, but I'm not going to freeze up."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

I contemplated his question. I wouldn't mind if he came, but I didn't think I would need him. I didn't want the Commander to think that I wasn't able to stand up to him on my own. I bit my lip, "I need to go in alone. Thank you though."

Tony nodded his head and we stopped in front of the team. McGee's head shot up at our presence, but Gibbs kept working. I bit my lip, suddenly becoming nervous that he would no longer let me talk to the Commander. "Are you ready?"

The question took me back quickly, "Uh, yes, I am."

"Good, let's go. He's in a conference room now." Gibbs led the way to the conference room, "You don't have to do this, Lacey. If you're not up for it, I understand and we can send the Commander on his way. The choice is yours."

I had always thought of Gibbs being a gruff man, but he wasn't. Not really, he cared for his team and that made me want to do this a whole lot more. I had people who cared for me. It was time to get answers and then cut off that part of my life, "I'm up for it. I need to do this, boss."

He nodded and stopped in front of the door, "As long as you're not rushing things, I stand by your choice. Do you want me in there with you?"

I closed my eyes and whispered, "Yeah."

I pushed through the door, Gibbs hot on my tail and the Commander's head shot up at our entrance. "Can I leave yet? I would like to see my children." He asked, bitterness laced in his words.

"You can go as soon as I'm done." I took a deep breath and sat down, "Why didn't you or Susan tell me that I was adopted?"

The Commander stared at me for a few seconds before chuckling, "So you've figured it out? Took you long enough. We made a deal with a buddy of mine a long time ago that we'd never say a word about the adoption. He had gone through some stuff and felt like he couldn't give you the life you deserved. It was Susan's idea really. I didn't want you."

I rolled my eyes, "You made that pretty clear. What buddy of yours? I'd like to contact him."

He looked at Gibbs wearily for a long minute before shaking his head, "I made a promise that I wouldn't tell anyone. Contrary to some _people_ , I don't break my promises."

"It seems to me that you broke at least one. Giving me the life I deserved? You treated me like dirt. My whole life, I only ever strives to live up to your standards, but I couldn't. I'm thankful to know now that you were never my father. I'm done with you, Commander." I stood up ready to leave, "I don't hate you, by the way. I feel sorry for you and I pity you. You push everyone away and eventually even your sons will leave. You'll have no one and only then will you realize that you're a miserable old man. Goodbye, Commander, and I am truly sorry for the loss of your children. 3 of them."

I walked out the door and beelined it for the stairwell. I needed quiet and I needed to collect myself. I pushed through the heavy door and as it closed I allowed myself to sink down on the staircase. My breathing was shallow as I contemplated all I had said. I had wanted to do that for years and sure, I hadn't said everything or asked all the questions, but I felt so much better. Now, I knew that I'd never have to claim to be his daughter.

* * *

"You're not coming near her ever again." Gibbs grit out.

The Commander laughed, "She's _my_ daughter, isn't she?"

The two men glared at each other, "She was never your daughter. She didn't tell me a lot about what it was like growing up in your household, but one day she will. You better pray to God that I never see you again."

"You left her in my care, Jethro, just remember that."

Gibbs nodded his head solemnly, "I remember it every day of my life and it will always be one of my biggest regrets. Stay away from us, James, I mean it."

* * *

 **Thank you all for your patience in waiting out the next chapter. Life has been one wild rollercoaster for me and I haven't had time to do a lot of the things that I love! I am hoping to be able to come back to writing my stories on here more often! I am working on this one and my Not So Horrible Holiday 2 diligently now in order to get up the next chapters as you all have waited so long for them! I apologize and I hope you understand! Also, I didn't get a chance to edit this story. I really wanted to post it as soon as I finished typing it up. I'll comb through it for mistakes later and fix any thing I find. Thank you for your continued support and follows! If you ever have any requests for me to write something, I'll gladly take those on! Reviews are appreciated!**

 **Until then,**

 **Theatrefreak10**


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